Friday, December 4, 2009

Let's see a show of hands, here. How many of you can walk into a movie theater and NOT succumb to the tantalizing smell of popcorn? Even at the outrageous prices they charge these days.

If you're anything like me, temptation usually wins out. That's when you would find me scrunched down in my seat hoarding my popcorn, eating it one kernel at a time so it would last for the whole movie.

It wasn't until Mr CC (back in the day when we were dating) showed me just how good home-popped popcorn could be, that I changed my movie popcorn-eating ways and became a popcorn connoisseur, leaving the over-salted, high fat and heaven-knows-what-else stuff you get at the movies alone.

Don't tell anyone, but we've been known to sneak our homemade air-popped popcorn into the theater; smugly snacking on our sumptuous treat with no one around us the wiser.

More often than not these days we're happy popping up a batch of Mr CC's gourmet popcorn, then snuggling down in the comfort of our own living room and putting on a Net Flix movie.

Which is just what we did the other night when friends brought a movie over to share: Made popcorn.

Mr CC's original recipe(print recipe)Serves 2 generouslyIngredients:1 and 1/2 cups organic popping corn1 tablespoon good olive oil1 tablespoon unsalted or lightly salted butter
1/3 cup finely grated parmigiano reggiano cheese1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakesHot air popcorn makerkosher salt or Spike to tastePreparation:Melt the butter in the olive oil over low heat. Keep warm.Have the rest of the ingredients measured and ready to use.Place a large bowl under the shoot of the popper, pour the popping corn into the machine and turn it on.As the corn begins to pop and land in the bowl, turn to distribute the kernels evenly.Once one third of the corn has popped, begin drizzling the olive oil-butter mixture on the hot kernels until all the corn is popped and all the oil has been distributed.Turn off the machine and quickly toss the popcorn with the yeast and parmesan cheese.Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste.Spread a tablecloth on the floor in front of the tv screen, provide pillows for sitting, plenty of paper towels for buttery, cheesey finger wiping, place the bowl of popcorn in the middle of the tablecloth, put on the dvd, and begin munching.I think you just might smile.Cook's Notes:I buy our organic popcorn in bulk at my local co-op. Here is a source if you don't have access to organic bulk foods.The amount of olive oil and butter that goes into the popcorn is entirely up to you. Sometimes we use more, sometimes less.Soy sauce and Cholula hot sauce have been known to find their way into Mr CC's gourmet popcorn with great success. Although not at the same time.